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Star Wars: The Last Jedi Passes $500 Million at Global Box Office

Scarcely a week into its release, Disney/Lucasfilm’s Star Wars: The Last Jedi has topped half a billion dollars in global box office revenue, reaching $536 million in ticket sales.

The ninth film in the franchise’s 40-year history opened strongly, garnering $45 million on its Thursday night opening. Variety reports that the film is second only to its 2015 episodic predecessor The Force Awakens. The Last Jedi seems poised to challenge The Force Awakens, which grossed $936 million total, for all-time box office supremacy.

Episode VIII picks up where The Force Awakens’Episode VII left off, with Rey locating the reclusive Luke Skywalker and seeking his aid in the Resistance’s fight against the tyrannic First Order. The movie also serves as the last cinematic appearance of Carrie Fisher, who died shortly after filming was completed.

The film’s robust performance belies mixed reactions from the franchise’s fanbase, although critical reviews have largely been positive. The movie faces some new competition in its second week with the release of Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle from Sony Entertainment and Fox’s The Greatest Showman, both opening Wednesday, December 20.

Written and directed by Rian Johnson, Star Wars: The Last Jedi stars Mark Hamill as Luke Skywalker, Daisy Ridley as Rey, John Boyega as Finn, Adam Driver as Kylo Ren, Oscar Isaac as Poe Dameron, Andy Serkis as Supreme Leader Snoke, Domhnall Gleeson as General Hux, Gwendoline Christie as Captain Phasma, Anthony Daniels as C-3PO, Lupita Nyong’o as Maz Kanata, Benicio Del Toro as ‘DJ’, Kelly Marie Tran as Rose Tico, Laura Dern as Vice Admiral Amilyn Holdo and the late Carrie Fisher as General Leia Organa. The film is in theaters worldwide.